Joan Peterson, age 86, passed away on June 10, 2021, in a Salt Lake City hospital with family by her side.

Joan was born on November 25 ^th , 1934, to Harold and Irene Briggs in Bremerton, Washington.  She married Ken Peterson in Las Vegas.  Together they had 2 children Susan and Robert. Since Ken worked for the Montana Power Company, they lived in many locations such as Havre, Chinook, Rudyard, Drummond, and Anaconda.

She enjoyed the outdoors all of her life. Growing up in California, she and her sister, Pat, spent many days at the beach, soaking up the sun.  Once Joan met Kenny and they married, it was a move to Montana and a change of scenery for the California girl.  Living on the hi-line, the Peterson family would pack up every Friday night and head off to camp at West Glacier. Finley Point became their place of choice when they went to Flathead Lake with Chet and Phyllis.  Joan and Kenny spent many years camping with family and extended family at Flathead, Georgetown, Holter, Hauser, or anywhere in between. Joan always had such a sense of adventure. She would even hop on a motorcycle and go on errands at camp if she needed to.  Joan was never one to sit still either.  At home she was always taking care of her yard and flowers and feeding the birds.  She enjoyed being outside on the deck and just enjoying her yard and visiting with neighbors.  In the winter however, there were many trips she would take on the snowmobile.  Dressed for the cold temperatures in her head-to-toe snowsuit, she was always in style.  Joan, Kenny and their son Bobby enjoyed riding their snow machines around Drummond and other areas of the state.  In addition to Joan's love of the outdoors, we can't forget to mention her competitive side in her card playing!!  She never turned down an opportunity to play pinochle with anyone, from her friends at the Bluffs to the Marathon pinochle group!!  Joan taught all of her grandkids and great-grandkids to play Skipbo and 31. She was always a tough opponent and didn't believe in just letting the kids win.  However she was always there for a hug and kiss for the kids if they lost. Many of her grandkids unknowingly walked around with lipstick marks on their cheeks! That was just the way it went when around Gramma Joan and she never forgot to put on her lipstick.  She also still had her bright red hair which showed her spunky attitude. She always said that God never made a patient Irishman!! Which was why she always wanted everything done yesterday!!

I think many of us know of Joan's quick wit. However, at times it may not have always been PC, so to speak, but always some quick one liner we heard growing up.  If you were talking to Joan and she or you might be having some stress, she would have simply reminded you it was time to "unlax" as if relaxing wasn't going to be enough.  And if things didn't always go as we seemed to think they should, Joan was there to remind us that some things were just a "catch 2".  There are so many memories of Joan that we can all cherish forever and many of us found such comfort in knowing her door was always open with a hug, cup of coffee, a couple cookies, and a listening ear always available to us if we needed.

Joan was preceded in death by her husband, Ken; her son, Bobby; her parents, Harold and Irene Briggs; and her brother, Ronnie.

She is survived by her daughter, Susan (Marvin) Brodock of Fort Benton MT; her sister, Pat Erickson of Moreno Valley, CA: and a niece, Michelle Erickson of Fort Benton, MT.  She had 3 grandchildren: Jason (Jeannie) Adams of Phoenix, AZ: Kevin Brodock of Billings, MT: and Melanie (Tom) Keller of Billings, Mt.  She also had 11 great-grandchildren: Koltin, Kourtni, Austin, Dustin, Kingston, Karston, Kaenon, Michelle, Kayda, Hailey, and Madison and 1 great-great-grandson, Dayton.